Roommates
by Yondaime Namikaze
Summary: Astrid Hofferson is ready to put her past behind her and leave her hometown, Raven Pointe. With this new experience comes Heather, her roommate. How can Astrid be expected to live in the same dormitory with this girl who is the exact opposite in...well, just about everything? And, what's the story behind the boy Astrid meets on campus during the first day of classes?
1. Time For A Change

**As is customary for me, I like to state my inspiration for my stories (whenever there is one/some). This storyline is inspired by several songs from Broadway Musicals. This first segment was inspired by the song "What Is This Feeling?" This song will play a role throughout much of this opening. **

**I have an idea where this story is going, so we'll see how it works out. I hope you all enjoy!**

**EXTENDED SUMMARY: After attending a local community college for two years post-high school, 20-year-old Astrid Hofferson finally decides to leave her past behind her and attend a larger university a few hours from her hometown, Raven Pointe. With this new experience comes Heather, her roommate. How can Astrid be expected to live in the same dormitory with this girl who is the exact opposite in...well, just about everything? And, what's the story behind the boy Astrid meets on campus during the first day of classes?**

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Chapter 1: Time For A Change

It was time for a change. This town held too many memories—bad memories. Twenty-year-old Astrid Hofferson constantly questioned her decision to stay and attend community college for two years following her graduation for high school. Astrid had never had the best relationship with her parents so why did she ever think that living at home for two more long years would be a good idea? It didn't help that, even years later, Astrid couldn't walk through town without the memories of…him. She needed to get away…and that's why she found herself applying to Berk University, a public university located an hour and a half away from her hometown of Raven Pointe.

As Astrid packed everything she owned (at least, that's how it felt), she thought about the university and what she had read online about the school. It was not a large university, by any means, but it was big enough (from what she had seen) to hide in the crowd…which is exactly what Astrid planned to do. Here she could start over fresh, no more reputation and no more stares.

She had enrolled as an undergraduate to continue where she had left off after her two years of GED classes at RPACC, the abbreviation for Raven Pointe Area Community College. Because she would be a non-commuter undergraduate student, Berk University required her to sign up for university housing and she was not looking forward to that. The only people Astrid had ever lived with were her parents and they had never exactly gotten along. How could she be expected to live this whole school year with a total stranger? Of course, she did not have a choice; she didn't know any other girl who attended Berk University and she needed to have a roommate. At least her and her roommate (the university had told Astrid the other girl's name, but Astrid had forgotten it already) would have separate bedrooms.

Regardless of how the living situation was going to suck, Astrid did not plan to return home to Raven Pointe until the dormitories closed. Anywhere was better than here. The less time she spent here in Raven Pointe, the better. Currently, Astrid had two suitcases full of just clothes and she was working on her third. Tomorrow was the day that she would finally leave this place and Astrid was counting the hours as she folded her clothes. Tomorrow could not come soon enough.

888

Early the next morning, Astrid moved all her belongings out into the trunk and backseat of her blue car. It was a challenge to make everything fit in the small space, but Astrid managed. Shutting the trunk and doors, Astrid took a step back to admire her car.

This car, a blue Nissan Skyline, was Astrid's second car. Both cars—this one and her first car—she had bought with her own hard-earned money. After what had happened with her first car, Astrid was very protective of this one. Never again would she let that occur again.

Patting the back of the car, Astrid stepped toward the driver's door. "Ready to finally leave this stupid town, Stormfly?" Yes, Astrid did name her car and no, she did not care how weird it sounded to do something like that.

Confident that everything she would need was safely tucked into all the available storage areas in her car, Astrid started the engine and pulled away from her house and hometown without a single "goodbye" or glance back.

888

The drive to Berk University was new; Astrid had opted not to visit and tour the campus before applying to the school. She had decided not to waste her time. If she didn't like the university, then that would be nothing new. It would be like living back in Raven Pointe.

As Astrid drove, the radio played song-after-song, followed often by commercials, but Astrid paid little attention to it. The radio was just there to break up the monotonous silence that would fill the inside of the car otherwise.

Surprisingly, the traffic on the highway was sparse. Astrid had expected there to be more cars, but the traffic did not pick up until she arrived closer to the city of Berk. Berk, as Astrid had read on the website for the university, was a small town, so move-in day for the university turned the city streets into a gridlock. Luckily, Astrid had left Raven Pointe early enough that she did not have to sit too long in the traffic.

When Astrid finally arrived on campus, Astrid checked in and learned she would be residing this year in Bork Hall. Facing the move-in traffic one last time, Astrid found a rare parking space outside the suite-style dormitory. Snagging a cart, Astrid loaded everything from her car onto it to take into the building. As she waited for an elevator, Astrid glanced over a plague that described the history behind the building's name. Apparently, Mr. Bork was a founder and supporter of Berk University. Not that Astrid cared really; he was long dead by now.

Astrid's room was on the fourth floor, so she had to wait for the elevator to stop on floors two and three before it even reached her destination. Already she could not wait to be done with this whole "moving in" process, but (as she continually reminded herself) it was still better than living back in Raven Pointe.

The university student ID given to Astrid at check-in was her key to enter the room. With a swipe, the door unlocked and Astrid entered, taking in the clean suite before her. To her right was a small kitchen and a common seating area—living room—was directly in front of her. On either side of the living room were the bedrooms. Looking in both, Astrid chose the one with the best view out the windows. She had arrived before her roommate, so she had every opportunity to be picky about which room would be hers for the year.

Once all of her belongings were placed within the dormitory, Astrid walked back to the parking area to move Stormfly to a designated parking lot. Though Astrid did not much care if others found parking spaces near the dormitory, she did care about getting ticketed for parking in a non-designated area. That is not how she wanted to start off this new school year.

The walk back took about fifteen minutes and Astrid began to question the description on the university's website claiming it to be small. Although, to be fair, it was a bit unfair to have students park so far away from everything else. Even the commuter parking lots were closer…but there was no way that Astrid wanted to live at home…well, in Raven Pointe anymore. She had lived there long enough.

Immediately upon entering the dormitory again, Astrid set to work at finding places for all of her belongings. Still her roommate had not arrived. Perhaps Astrid would get lucky and the other girl would be a no-show. Astrid wouldn't mind this one bit. She'd always preferred being alone anyway.

Late afternoon found Astrid in the room that was to be her bedroom. She was completing various tasks to arrange the room and place her clothing and belongings in places where she would find them again when needed. As Astrid was placing her folded clothes into the provided dresser, she heard the door open and close, followed by the sounds of multiple pairs of shoes on the floors. So much for her roommate being a no-show.

The other girl was talking to her parents, instructing them where to place her belongings. Astrid ignored them and continued folding her clothes. Shortly after the girl and her parents entered the dormitory, Astrid heard a knock on the frame of her bedroom door. Before she could say anything in reply, the other girl entered.

"You must be Astrid. It's a pleasure to meet you. I just came to introduce myself. I'm Heather, your roommate."

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**Figured it was time for another modern How To Train Your Dragon AU. Hope that everyone likes. As I said, I have some very detailed plans for where this story is going to go, so…yep, we'll get to those, then.**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Roommates!**

**Posted: September 21, 2014**


	2. Alone

**Not much to say…so we'll just get right back into the action.**

**Review Replies:**

_**dolphinand water**_**: Thanks! Here's more.**

_**underdunk**_**: Um…thanks? Haha.**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: Thank you! I will continue.**

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Chapter 2: Alone

"You must be Astrid. It's a pleasure to meet you. I just came to introduce myself. I'm Heather, your roommate."

Briefly, Astrid looked up from her work to take in the appearance of the girl who was to be her roommate. If the other girl's voice hadn't already been a clue to Astrid that she was going to hate this girl, seeing her clothing didn't help. Astrid's eyes traveled up from Heather's UGG boots and up her dark skinny jeans to a designer shirt that looked to have cost more than Astrid made weekly on her paychecks from her minimum wage job (that she had quit before leaving home) back in Raven Pointe. Continuing to scan upwards, Astrid's crystal blue eyes hit Heather's piercing emerald ones. Finally, Astrid took in Heather's shiny and smooth black hair, pulled into an elegant side-braid.

"Yes, I'm Astrid," she answered sharply, "and I'm busy," she finished, getting up and shutting the door. From the other side of the door, Astrid heard Heather's footsteps walk away, probably to go help her parents set up something. Astrid didn't care. She was just glad to be left alone to her work. As she continued folding clothes and placing them into the provided dresser in her room, Astrid thought back to her decision to pay a little extra each semester for a dormitory suite with a private bedroom. Sure, she'd still have to share the bathroom with Heather, but at least she had the peace and privacy to lock herself in her bedroom. She'd worry about disinfecting the bathroom lately. Note to self: pick up a can of Lysol from the grocery store.

Astrid finished placing folded clothes in her dresser and moved on to making her bed. She had brought several sets of bedding so Astrid first decided on one to use before placing the others into a storage drawer for later. It did not take long for Astrid to make her bed; she had done the same at home…well, her childhood home often enough.

Once the bed was made, Astrid lay down and stared up at the plaster ceiling above her head. The walls of her bedroom were, unfortunately, apparently quite thin. She could hear the sounds outside of students moving in all their belongings. Inside her dormitory suite, Astrid heard Heather and her parents talking, placing the other girl's belongings throughout the shared space.

Closing her eyes briefly, Astrid tried her best to block out the sounds that drifted into her bedroom. She knew that she should get up and continue organizing her room. Classes started in a few days and then there wouldn't be time. Astrid knew all this, but she also knew that her bed was comfortable. It couldn't hurt to take a short nap, could it? She had woken early to drive to Berk University. _**Maybe if I take a nap, I'll be able to tolerate this Heather girl better**_. Astrid thought over what she had just said to herself. _**Yeah…I don't think that's going to help either.**_

Ultimately, Astrid decided on that nap. _**Just a short nap and then I'll get work on organizing this room before I get something to eat,**_ she determined. Letting herself relax, Astrid drifted off to the sounds of commotion around her.

Her world was dark. Astrid could not see anything around her. Why couldn't she see? A familiar sound surrounded her, filling her with terror. It was the screeching of brakes followed by the district crashing of metal against metal. _**No…no…I don't want to relive this again. Please let me wake up.**_ Her mind was cruel and kept its secure hold. The scream that came next broke her heart._** No…not again…why must you keep reminding me that he's gone?**_

Everything was still dark, but now Astrid could hear the words, the whispering. It was just as it had been in life. Astrid could always hear them whisper amongst themselves when she was nearby. They all blamed her. She could understand why, though; she had been the driver. The faces materialized before her. Astrid could see them now, pointing and whispering. It seemed that the more they tried to be discreet, the more obvious their actions became. Sinking to her knees and clapping her hands over her ears, Astrid squeezed her eyes shut tight. _**Make it stop. Please! Make it stop!**_

Astrid's eyes snapped open. She was still in her bedroom. As she lay there, staring up at the ceiling, Astrid became aware of her rapid breathing and quickened heartbeat. It was just like always. The dream and the waking up in a cold sweat afterwards. Would it continue to haunt her for the rest of her pitiful life?

Once her heartbeat had slowed to a normal resting pace and her breathing had evened out, Astrid pulled herself from the bed and looked around the room to determine what she still needed to organize. As she was looking at her cluttered desk, Astrid noticed that the dormitory sounded much quieter than it had been earlier. _**Did Heather leave?**_

Cautious, Astrid waited, unmoving, listening intently for any sounds on the other side of her closed bedroom door. Hearing none after another minute, she slowly opened the door and peeked out. The common rooms, kitchen, and bathroom were all empty. Tiptoeing out, Astrid walked quietly over to Heather's door. It was decorated now…and it was shut. _**She must've gone out with her parents. Good. **_

Astrid sighed causally, releasing the breath she was holding. Finally, she was alone again. There was no one here at Berk University who knew of her past—no one to judge her for what had happened. Her parents were not here to look over her with those looks of shame, regret, and disgrace. And, now, there was no Heather…and Astrid was perfectly fine with that.

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**Ah…thirty words short of my chapter-length goal. I promise that the chapters will get longer as we progress through the story. Just bear with me through this introductory stuff. **

**As always, thanks for reading and supporting Roommates! See you all next time!**

**Posted: October 3, 2014**


	3. Preparing For the Start of Classes

**I know that it's been over half a year since the second chapter was posted. Well, in that time, I have worked out the plans for this story and now have it all planned out (all the way to the end!). That means, if you all still enjoy it, the updates could potentially speed up! We'll just have to see, I guess.**

**Review Replies:**

_**Angryhenry**_**: I won't say too much because the backstory will slowly be revealed, but I will say that dream was about a car accident—a very important (and drastic) car accident.**

_**morfowt**_**: Thanks! I hope to update Wheel again soon. I don't know why, but I always feel less interested in writing that one…but I will not discontinue Wheel. I have plans for that story!**

_**MugetsuPipefox**_**: I can promise that more information about the crash will slowly be revealed as the story picks up. We're almost through the boring introductory chapters.**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: All will slowly be revealed. It's…quite tragic, I will say that. Also, I needed to have a reason for Astrid to hate Heather (since the reason won't revolve around Hiccup) and that just seemed to work. I needed some reason for Astrid to just instantly hate Heather. Since Astrid has to work hard for everything she has, it's almost a touch of envy that Heather seems to just naturally get everything handed to her for little effort. Here's the next update!**

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Chapter 3: Preparing For the Start of Classes

Astrid had kept to her locked bedroom for the rest of the night. Heather had arrived back later and Astrid had heard the other girl saying her goodbyes to her parents. Apparently, they had gone out for dinner and then it was just Astrid and Heather. Because she had locked herself in the bedroom anyway, Astrid chose to use the time to finish straightening up her room, unpacking all her belongings and finally setting them all into place. Once that was finished, Astrid stowed the boxes away; she would use them again at the end of the school year when it came time to vacate the dorms.

Though she had not wanted to sleep that night, Astrid gave in to sleep. Her dreams were tormented and Astrid woke up the next morning feeling tired, as if she had not actually slept. It was Sunday and tomorrow would be the first day of classes. Astrid wrote a checklist and left it on the desk in her bedroom. That evening, she would go through the checklist to be sure that she was prepared for tomorrow.

_**I should get some breakfast, I guess**_, Astrid decided. Before leaving her bedroom, Astrid looked out her window to see the picturesque Berk University campus sprawled out below her. Freshmen (not transfer students, luckily) had orientation activities to attend today, so Astrid watched them scurry across the campus. _**It'll be easy to spot them, at least. They all have maps. **_Unfortunately, Astrid couldn't laugh; she'd be just like them. _**That's what I can do today. I can go take a walk around the campus and find my classes. **_

Quietly, Astrid crept from her bedroom and out to the kitchen. The shared spaces were empty. _**Heather must still be asleep. Good. I can't deal with her…perkiness right now. She is so annoying!**_

Finding an unopened box of cereal in her cabinet, Astrid grabbed it and opened it, dumping some of the contents into one of the bowls she had brought from home. Next, Astrid added some milk and grabbed one of her spoons. She had just sat down to eat when she heard Heather's bedroom door open. Astrid groaned silently; she did not want to deal with Heather right now.

"Morning, Astrid," Heather greeted, her voice still a little flat, as if she had recently awoken.

Instead of replying, Astrid just popped another spoonful of cereal into her mouth and chewed. _**She'll get the message, right? Heather will know that I don't want to talk and just walk away. Surely, she will.**_

As always, though, the gesture's message seemed lost on Heather. "Did you sleep well?"

With a sigh, Astrid swallowed her mouthful of cereal. "_Why_ do you care?" Her words came out harshly, but Astrid did not care. Maybe that would be the only way to get it through Heather's thick skull that she was not to acknowledge Astrid at all.

Heather seemed to be taken aback slightly. "Well, you see, I figured that, since we're going to be living in the same dorm for this school year, we should try to get along. I was just trying to start a conversation, you know, to get to know each other better."

Slamming down her spoon, Astrid looked up into Heather's emerald eyes. "I don't care if we have to live in the same dorm or not. I do not want to get to know you better. Just leave me alone." Rising from the table, Astrid took her unfinished bowl of cereal to the sink and dumped it out, leaving the empty bowl and used spoon in the sink to wash later.

With no further words, Astrid retreated back to her room. _**Now, I'm definitely going to go take that walk around campus. I do not want to stay here with…her.**_ First she would have to change out of her pajamas. The weather was still nice, so Astrid chose a red skirt and a T-shirt that matched in color. Before she left the safety of her bedroom, Astrid made sure to print out her class schedule. _**Hopefully, finding these classes will kill a bit of time and then I can grab some brunch at the dining hall and burn another hour, hopefully. After that, I can find the bookstore and buy the textbooks that I'll need for the semester. Then, I'll come back here, lock myself in this bedroom away from Heather, and gather everything I'll need for class tomorrow. That should take until dinner time and…well, I'll think on that later. I think I've got a pretty good plan set up for now.**_

Her mission set, Astrid left the room and walked through the common areas, to the door, without one glance or word to Heather. Once out of the dorm-suite, Astrid made her way to the elevators; she did not feel like walking down four flights of stairs if she did not have to do it_**. It shouldn't be too hard to find the buildings where my classes will be**_, Astrid figured. _**This campus is considered to be small compared to most other universities.**_

Finding her classes did turn out to be very easy. All buildings on campus were labeled in big letters, easily visible. Memorizing the pathways across campus would be simple. By the time, Astrid had traversed across campus a few times, memorizing her way, she was ready to give the dining hall a try. Astrid had yet to eat there, but she was not expecting much. _**Hopefully, the food is better than the cafeteria back at Raven Pointe High School.**_ As it turned out, she did not get much of a first impression on the dining hall's food. Because it was weekend, not all food stations were open (even for the freshmen opening weekend). _**Guess I'll have to try this place again after classes begin**_, Astrid decided.

Astrid's next stop was to the bookstore_**. Hopefully, it won't be too packed. Freshmen students should still be in orientation, right?**_ Arriving at the bookstore, the first thing Astrid did was to stop at one of the set-up computers to pull up her class schedule. Signs posted near the textbook section of the bookstore reminded students to know the class name and number and the professor who would be teaching the class. This would better ensure that they bought the correct books.

The bookstore staff was friendly, several offering to help Astrid find her books, but Astrid was very independent (she had always been independent) so she declined the offers and opted to find her own textbooks. It was not long before the basket Astrid had picked up was full and heavy. _**This should be a crime! Carrying around so many bulky textbooks. If not a crime, it is definitely cruel and unusual punishment!**_

When she had picked up all her mandatory textbooks, Astrid proceeded to checkout where she placed the $400 order on her credit card_**. Not only are these textbooks too heavy, but they're also way too expensive!**_

The cashier had, somehow, packed all the textbooks into two full bags which Astrid had to then carry all the way back across campus to her dorm building. _**Why did I not decide to drive?**_ Astrid asked herself as she walked past the parking lot nearest the bookstore_**. I could've just parked here briefly, bought these textbooks, driven back to Bork Hall, dropped them off, and then parked the car in the student parking lot once again. To think students pay to use the on-campus recreation center. Who needs that? This is exercise enough for one day!**_

Astrid did not know how she made it back to Bork Hall without collapsing from exhaustion. _**These books had better be worth all of this hassle! **_

The suite was quiet when Astrid let herself in and made to dump her two heavy bags into her bedroom. Deciding to investigate the quiet suite, Astrid unlocked her bedroom and threw the bags into the room. A heavy thud resounded and she hoped that the sound was not questioned by the students living on floor three below her.

Silently, Astrid snuck back out into the common area and found Heather hunched over the table. Adept at sneaking up on others, Astrid quietly snuck over to find out what had Heather so focused. Astrid did not really care (Heather was not being annoying, after all), but she was still curious. Looking down, she saw Heather's hand moving, writing out in flowing cursive. _**My wonderful parents,**_ Astrid read. _**She's writing a letter…about me? **_Instantly, Astrid grew angered by Heather's passive aggressiveness._** Two can play at that game, Heather!**_

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**It's been awhile since I've updated this story, so I gave you a slightly longer chapter. I'm super excited for the future of this story. I mean…it's rare that I plan out a whole story before I post it, but…this one…well, I won't give anything away. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Roommates!**

**Posted: April 26, 2015**


	4. What Is This Feeling?

**Been awhile but time has brought me back to Roommates. When we left off last time, Astrid found Heather writing a letter home and was inclined to do the same. I'm super excited for this chapter, one directly inspired by the song for this first arc "What Is This Feeling?" I just hope I can write it as well as I imagine it. Well, guess we'll find out…after the review replies.**

**Review Replies:**

_**Anon (anonymous)**_**: Yes, we will see Hiccstrid.**

_**HttydFan (anonymous)**_**: Wish this update was faster, but…here it is.**

_**Raider7997**_**: Wow…don't you love when that happens? I know I do. Haha. Her past is very interesting. I will say that.**

_**zzzeus11**_**: Thanks! Here's the next chapter.**

_**warorpeace**_**: Astrid's attitude will change. She's just upset over her past (which I will reveal a bit later in the story). **

_**MugetsuPipefox**_**: Nope. Roommate relations are not going well at all. **

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: They will meet on the first day of classes. Hiccup is a commuter student (as we will find out) so he's not on campus right now.**

_**Fluffy-Turtle (anonymous)**_**: I'm sorry that it's been months. Here's a new chapter, though.**

_**David (anonymous)**_**: Good guesses. That will be revealed in about the middle of the story…and it's not an overly long story. Yeah, Astrid's attitude toward Heather is what makes this story. It's mainly because she's just completely upset at herself for her bad hand at life…but she's taking it out on others, namely Heather.**

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Chapter 4: What Is This Feeling?

Silently, Astrid snuck back out into the common area and found Heather hunched over the table. Adept at sneaking up on others, Astrid quietly snuck over to find out what had Heather so focused. Astrid did not really care (Heather was not being annoying, after all), but she was still curious. Looking down, she saw Heather's hand moving, writing out in flowing cursive. _**My wonderful parents,**_ Astrid read_**. She's writing a letter…about me?**_ Instantly, Astrid grew angered by Heather's passive aggressiveness. _**Two can play at that game, Heather! **_

Snatching a piece of notebook paper from her bedroom, Astrid stood on the counter and started writing a letter of her own. "To my mother and father," Astrid read out loud as she wrote in letters that looked like chicken scratch against Heather's perfect cursive.

Heather, hearing Astrid speak, lifted her head and noticed her roommate copying her. "There seems to be some…problems with the rooming situation here at Berk University," she wrote and spoke.

Frustrated, Astrid repeated Heather's words, writing them down word-for-word as she spoke, "There seems to be some…problems with the rooming situation here at Berk University."

Astrid smirked as she saw Heather's frustration flare up. _**Oh this is going to be fun!**_ "But of course, it won't affect my studies," she continued, still writing down the words she was saying.

Heather looked back down to her paper. "But of course, it's nothing I can't handle," she spoke without looking up, her hands etching the flowing words down onto her notebook paper.

"For I know that's how you'd want me to respond, yes," both girls spoke and wrote at the same time. When they heard that they had managed to say the same exact words, both Astrid and Heather looked up and scowled.

"There seems to be some…problems with the rooming situation for you see my roommate is…" Both Astrid and Heather were making a habit of saying and writing the same words down and it was really starting to grate at their nerves. They both looked up into each other's eyes to scowl once again before writing out another word, "So…"

Astrid knew that Heather had not intended her actions to cause such a rift between the roommates. Therefore, Astrid should not have been surprised that Heather tried something different, clearly in hopes of calming the spat between them.

"What is this feeling, so sudden and new?" Heather said as she wrote the words.

Astrid instantly caught on to what Heather was trying to do. _**No way are you finishing this that easily!**_ "I felt it the moment I laid eyes on you," she continued, writing down the words in handwriting that was growing messier by the minute.

"What is this feeling?" Both Heather and Astrid asked, setting their pencils down finally, "Fervid as a flame. Does it have a name?" They approached each other, Heather standing from table and Astrid stepping back from the counter. "Yes, it does."

"Loathing, unadulterated loathing," Heather and Astrid yelled at the same time. The volume was not loud enough to drift out into the dorm building hallway, but it was loud enough for Astrid to get her message across. She was sick of dealing with Heather already…and classes had not even started yet.

"I loathe your face. How can you standing going out in public without make-up?" Heather asked, her volume dropping slightly as if she was actually interested to know how any girl could feel right leaving the house without primping first.

Astrid ignored the question. "I loathe your voice. It's just so…ugh."

"I loathe your…" Heather looked Astrid up and down before finishing. "Clothing."

"Let's just say," they both agreed at the same time, "I loathe it all. Every little trait, however small, makes my very flesh began to crawl." Both shivered slightly at the thought of spending the whole school year in the same confined space. "With simple utter loathing."

Astrid knew that she should've been a little more nervous that both her and Heather were thinking the completely same thoughts, but for once Astrid was glad. _**At least we're on the same page here.**_

Heather and Astrid stepped closer to each other. "Though I do admit it came on fast, still I do believe it can last," both girls yelled to each other at the same time. By now, they were almost nose-to-nose. Astrid was slightly frustrated to notice that Heather was just a slight bit taller than her. "And I will be loathing you my whole life long!" they both finished, glaring at each other as they yelled out this promise.

In their hands, they both clutched the letters that were written but never meant to be sent home. Together, they both ripped up their letters and threw the pieces up into the air above their heads, letting the small paper particles rain down upon them like confetti.

Neither Astrid nor Heather moved or spoke; they both just stood there, glaring at the roommate they were forced to live for with this whole upcoming school year. The paper pieces from both of their torn letters lay scattered around their feet, forgotten already. No words needed to be said; they had already said enough.

An evil idea formed in the back of Astrid's mind. _**This might just work.**_ Giving Heather no prior indication of her planned actions, Astrid stepped forward with a smirk while simultaneously yelling out, "Boo!"

The plan worked as Astrid had expected. Heather, unprepared, jumped back with a short scream. Not loud enough to cause commotion but definitely audible enough for Astrid's satisfaction. Astrid smirked one last time as she began to make her way to her bedroom. _**Good to see that we both agree on one thing…even if it is our mutual hate for each other.**_

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**It's a bit short, but I really did have so much fun writing up this chapter. Oh, before I forget, yes I did use some direct quotes from the song "What Is This Feeling?" None of those direct quotations belong to me. Changes and omissions to the lyrics in this chapter are intentional. Some of the lyrics did not fit as they are in the original song…and some just didn't fit regardless. **

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Roommates!**

**Posted: July 23, 2015  
Edited: December 1, 2015**


	5. The Roommate Tension Continues

**Props to the readers who caught the references in the last chapter! It is true, there were pieces of the lyrics from What Is This Feeling?! Well, let's see where it all goes from here!**

**Review Replies:**

_**Wolfie-Dragon**_**: You're completely right. This roommate tension is absolutely necessary for what is to come. Good call!**

_**clank2662**_**: Well, Hiccup is a commuter student, so he isn't on campus right now. Not until classes start tomorrow. That, actually will probably be in the next chapter. **

_**MugetsuPipefox**_**: I have seen Race to the Edge. The season was pretty good and yes, I liked Heather and Astrid together in those episodes. **

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: Yes, I did make a Wicked reference! This story came to be as I listened to several Broadway show hits and linked them together to form a cohesive plotline. That won't be the only reference to song lyrics in this story. Will you be able to spot the rest?**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: It is, but that's the point! This is the starting point of an…interesting relationship. **

_**Nowplayer**_**: When I finish typing the chapter? I've stopped making guesses about update times because I'm always wrong.**

* * *

Chapter 5:The Roommate Tension Continues

On her way back to her bedroom, the sound of a paper being shuffled under the door stopped Astrid. Both Astrid and Heather watched as a single sheet of paper slipped through the door. Neither girl moved to pick up the paper. After another moment of staring silently at the paper, Astrid huffed and walked over to grab it off the floor. Reading it quickly, she set it on the counter and walked back to her bedroom. _**Mandatory meeting with the RA tonight. Great.**_ She was not looking forward to that. _**I may be a transfer student who commuted to a community college, but I have enough common sense to know what can and can't be done in a dorm building. That will be the most pointless waste of an hour ever.**_

Astrid spent the rest of the day in her bedroom with the door closed. She only came out of the room to make some quick little meals to eat for lunch and dinner and to use the bathroom every so often. It was pointless to spend all day in her bedroom, but Astrid did not want to be out in any of the shared areas of the suite-style dormitory because she did not want to deal with the annoying presence of Heather. One good thing, though, had come out of the passive-aggressive argument with Heather earlier. The other girl was no longer making any attempt at bonding. If Astrid and Heather even made eye contact with each other, it wasn't for long (and Heather was usually the one to look away first).

As the day grew later and the RA meeting approached, Astrid completed some last minute tasks for the first day of classes tomorrow. When that was all finished, she made herself some dinner. It was too hot to even bother walking across campus for inedible dining hall food.

Ten minutes before the meeting was to start, Astrid reluctantly dragged herself over to the group meeting room. She already knew how this meeting would go. The RA for the floor or wing of the building or something like that would meet with a group of others who lived on the same floor or in the same wing and the RA would just discuss procedures "to make sure that everyone has an awesome college dorm experience". Astrid groaned, just imagining the RA being some peppy girl with a high-pitched voice.

When Astrid entered the group meeting room, she found that several others were already there. Some had laptops and looked to have been there for a few hours. _**Maybe I'll do what they obviously did and come down here. Or not. Why would I do that when I can just stay in my private bedroom?**_ Astrid took a seat on an empty couch a little ways away from the others in the room. Subtlety glancing around, Astrid saw Heather talking with a couple other girls. Rolling her eyes, Astrid turned back to watch the door and wait for the RA to show up and conduct this "necessary" meeting. _**She better not invite those girls back to our room.**_

The RA arrived shortly after and took a seat, facing the other girls in the room. "Welcome to Borg Hall," she began. "I hope everyone, like me, is excited for another amazing school year."

Astrid rolled her eyes. This was exactly what she had expected from this meeting. _**Please tell me I don't have to waste an entire hour of my night listening to…her.**_

"I have allotted an hour for this meeting," the RA continued, "but I'm really hoping it won't take that long because I know that you all probably want some time tonight to finish your final preparations for tomorrow's first day of classes."

As Astrid expected, the RA introduced herself, reminding everyone that she was a resource for them to come to if they needed help or suggestions. Then, she spoke about the "Do's and Don't's of Residence Hall Living" and other information about adjusting to campus life. _**This is so pointless. It doesn't help that this girl is way too perky. **_

Luckily, the meeting ended very early and Astrid couldn't be happier. She made to rush out of the common room, but she got stuck in the crowd of others who had the same idea. Groaning, Astrid pushed her way through the mass. _**Gods, how many others live on this wing or floor or whatever. **_

Just as Astrid made it through the door, she heard a voice call her name.

"Astrid?"

Looking back, Astrid saw the RA beckoning her back. Heather stood beside the RA. Groaning, Astrid reluctantly dragged herself back into the room. Once Astrid was back in the common room, the RA asked both girls to sit and face her.

"Heather tells me that you're both having some…issues. Is that correct?" the RA began.

"No, of course, not," Astrid answered.

"So, you're both getting along, then?"

"I did not say that," Astrid replied. "I just said that I don't have an issue…as long as Little Miss Perfect here just leaves me alone."

There was a brief silence as the two other girls processed Astrid's words. "Astrid," the RA spoke slowly as if trying to figure out how to respond. "That's not the attitude you should take when living with a roommate. You should be accepting of each other's differences and get to know each other."

"Listen," Astrid replied, leaning forward in her chair. "I don't want to get to know anyone, okay? I only came to this University to get away from home. That's it."

Astrid really did not want to be mean. Yes, to her, both these girls had already come off as annoying, but they would never understand what she was going through and Astrid did not want to talk about it.

The RA turned to Heather and sighed. "Astrid and Heather, I can see that there are tensions between you and I can already sense that it's going to be a long school year for you both."

"Isn't there anything you can do about this?" Heather asked.

"As much as you don't want to hear this, it is my job to say it anyway. No, Heather, I cannot remedy this situation. You both need to work through your differences together. Tell you what…if there is still tension between you and Astrid at the start of fall break, then feel free to stop by and see me again. That will give you both a month and a half to try to remedy the situation yourselves first."

Astrid and Heather sat silent. Both were unhappy with this situation but for differing reasons. Heather was frustrated that the RA would do nothing and Astrid was just upset that "Little Miss Perfect" had mentioned the issues to the RA already.

Fuming, Astrid left the common room as soon as the RA dismissed the two girls. As she stomped back toward her suite, Astrid pushed her way past two of the girls who had been talking with Heather before the RA's introduction meeting had begun. She heard them whisper, but Astrid did not stop. Her curiosity did get the best of her, though, and Astrid turned back a moment later to notice that Heather had joined them and they were talking softly amongst themselves.

Turning into a hallway and pretending as if she was going to continue walking to leave Borg Hall, Astrid paused around the corner and listened closely as the three girls approached.

"You're having trouble with your roommate already?" one of the girls asked Heather, earning a nod in reply.

"I can see why," replied the other girl. "Did you see the way she pushed past us? You are too good, Heather. How do you stand it and put up with her? I don't think we could."

Heather shrugged. "Well, you know what they say. God wouldn't put us through anything that he didn't think we couldn't handle."

"Well," the other girl spoke up. "If you need anything, you know where to find us. We're both on your side, Heather. Even if you need something small like a place to spend the night or something, just come see us."

The girls continued to walk back toward Heather's room, right past the spying Astrid. Gritting her teeth, Astrid replayed the short snippet of conversation she'd just heard. _**So, Heather's found allies. Good for her. This is far from over.**_

* * *

**Not going to lie, but I had no idea how I wanted to end this chapter. That tends to happen a lot lately. Anyway…this is the end of the first arc ("What Is This Feeling?"). For the first half of the story, there will be several chapters in between the arcs. The arcs in this story just signify when another song provided the inspiration for that segment of the story. Then, the "between stories" chapters fill in the loose ends. Next arc will be… "Holding Out For A Hero" and that arc will begin in a few chapters' time.**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Roommates!**

**Posted: December 31, 2015**


	6. Girlfriend

**First day of classes! Not really, but it is in this story! Those asking about Hiccup…I'm thinking he might just show up in this chapter! Well, I believe that's all I have to say before we begin, so…review replies and then the next chapter!**

**Review Replies:**

_**MugetsuPipefox**_**: Yeah, it will be tough for both of them. Hopefully, they do learn to see each others' differences, though. Thanks!**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Try telling that directly to Astrid! Haha. **

**_FMDaggers_: I'm glad that you love this story! I'm sorry that it did take me so long to get this chapter written and posted, though.**

* * *

Chapter 6: Girlfriend

Astrid could already tell that her classes this semester were going to be more of a challenge than the ones she had taken during both of the years she had attended Raven Pointe Area Community College. She had expected nothing less, though. Berk University was known for accepting students into some of the most competitive programs in the area. Not that Astrid's major was particularly difficult or competitive, but her professors all had reputations to keep.

At RPACC, first days of classes were easy. Heck, the first week or two of classes was easy. On the first days, though, teachers would hand out their syllabuses, explain their expectations and grading, and then end the class with a reminder to complete the assigned reading before the next class. Today, though, after Astrid's professors had finished explaining their syllabuses and schedules, they'd dived right in with a lesson…on the very first day. Though Astrid was surprised by this, most of the other students in her class were not, so Astrid guessed that this was typical first-day-of-class procedure at Berk University.

Now that her first two classes were over, Astrid had some time to relax. It was actually a nice sunny day out today (which could be rare for Berk—even in the summertime), so Astrid decided to take a seat in one of the many Adirondack chairs that the university had set out on the campus quad. The longer she stayed out on campus, the less time that she would have to deal with her annoying roommate.

Astrid had just pulled out one of her textbooks to begin working on some out-of-class reading when a tall and rather thin boy rushed past her. Normally, Astrid would not have taken any notice to this kid. He had messy brown hair and walked with a strange limp on his left side; if this was high school and Astrid had to classify him, she'd definitely say that he fell into the "gamer nerd" clique. Yeah, he was perfectly average and forgettable…until he tripped right in front of her.

Putting her book down, Astrid looked up as the boy, still on his knees, groaned in pain. _**Must've twisted his ankle or something**_, Astrid figured. Rising, Astrid walked over and stood in front of him. She offered a hand down to him to help him back up to his feet.

Gratefully, the boy took her hand and stood back up on his feet. Astrid noticed that he tended to favor his left leg, constantly looked down at it. She thought nothing of it, though; perhaps he had hurt it when he'd tripped. "Are you okay?" she asked with genuine concern as the boy continued to stare down at his left leg.

"Uh…yeah," the boy answered, tearing his gaze away from his left leg. "It's no big deal. I trip over air all the time," he joked with a short laugh.

From the moment that he first spoke, Astrid could confirm her earlier suspicions. _**He's definitely a nerd. Don't know about the gamer part, but definitely a nerd.**_ "I'm Astrid. Astrid Hofferson," she introduced herself, offering her hand for him to shake in greeting.

With a surprisingly firm handshake, the boy replied, "My name is Hanson Harrison Haddock." He must've seen Astrid's expression because he finished by adding, "The Third."

"Does that come with a nickname?" Astrid asked, simply amazed that a nerd like Hanson had been gifted with such a long full name.

"Uh…yeah…" Hanson replied. "Most just usually call me Hiccup. It's weird, but definitely easier to say."

Astrid looked Hanson…Hiccup up and down once before replying. "Your nickname fits."

Hiccup narrowed his eyes in confusion. "What exactly does that mean?"

Shrugging, Astrid changed the subject before Hiccup decided to dig deeper to find out what she had meant. "So, where were you rushing off to, anyway? Late for class?"

"Uh…no…no, I'm actually late for…well, I was supposed to meet my girlfriend for lunch about…" He took a quick glance at his watch. "Ten minutes ago."

"Your…girlfriend?" Astrid replied, not realizing that she'd actually spoken those words out loud.

"Uh…yeah. I should probably go. My girlfriend…well, she can get a little…uh…I need to go. Nice meeting you, Astrid," Hiccup stuttered before rushing off, continuing in the direction he had been briskly walking before his little trip.

Normally, Astrid would probably have wished Hiccup luck, telling him to be careful as he rushed off to wherever he was meeting this girlfriend of his. However, she found that her voice was stopped as she thought back on that word. Girlfriend. That had been her title once. Before the accident. Just when she thought she was starting to get over the accident, the memories resurfaced with just that one little word.

Forgetting about her plan to avoid her dorm and Heather, Astrid began a slow walk back to Borg Hall. It felt like her stomach had been swallowed by a bottomless pit and memories of that night flashed in her mind as she walked. She remembered it all. The screech of tires. The flashes of blue and red lights and the shrill screeches of sirens. The realization that everything was her own fault. "There was nothing the doctors could do." The horrible news. "He's gone, Astrid. We're sorry."

Tears formed in Astrid's eyes again at the flashbacks. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, not loud enough to be heard. "It should've been me. Everything was…all my fault."

Keeping her head down, Astrid hurried back to Borg Hall. Somehow, despite her tear-blurred vision, she made it back to the Hall and swiped her ID card to enter the building. Once inside, Astrid made her way to the elevator. Usually, she would take the stairs, but the sooner Astrid could get to her room and lock the door behind her, the better.

When the elevator doors opened onto her floor, Astrid walked with her head down to the door of her suite-style dorm. Quietly, Astrid entered and shut the door behind her. At first, it seemed that Heather was out and Astrid hoped that was the case. Of course, that hope was quickly extinguished.

"Well, if it isn't Astrid," Heather spoke up, moving out into the common areas. Her voice was icy cold, hardened by the quarrel between them. "Didn't expect to see you back so soon." There was no longer any hint of care in Heather's voice.

Astrid sighed. "I really don't feel like fighting today, Heather," she muttered as she made her way towards her bedroom. "Just leave me alone."

Finally making it to her bedroom, Astrid closed the door and locked it behind her. Without looking back, she missed the soft expression of concern that found its way onto Heather's face.

* * *

**I know this chapter's kinda short, but it is important. You probably can't see it yet, but several events have been set into motion because of this chapter. Well, all will become clearer in time, that I can assure you all, my faithful readers!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Roommates!**

**Posted: April 11, 2016**


	7. The Past Always Comes Back

**I was looking over the plans for this story and…I think this chapter might have a bit of tension in it. If not this chapter, then definitely the next one. The good thing is that the tension won't be between Astrid and Heather. It also won't be between Astrid and Hiccup. **

**Review Replies:**

_**Dirtkid123**_**: There will be a whole arc coming up that will be devoted to Astrid's mysterious past. It's not a very long arc (two or three chapters, tops) but it gets the message across, I think.**

_**That guest (anonymous)**_**: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoy this story too. I always like doing that…reading a story and then looking at the author's penname and realizing that the story is written by one of my favorite writers. **

_**MugetsuPipefox**_**: The answer might surprise you. (That answer will probably be revealed in this chapter).**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Double negative.**

**_Sarnakh the Sunderer_: Uh…sure, you can PM me about it if you want. I'm not quite sure what you're talking about, but…uh…yeah. Haha. Huh…I don't think I have any songs from those two musicals in the plot yet. I'll have to take a look and see if any will fit with the plotline I've established. Good suggestions!**

* * *

Chapter 7: The Past Always Comes Back

Astrid really did not want to go to class. Still, she had to go. She needed to pass all her classes and they were quite a bit more difficult than the classes she had taken at Raven Pointe Area Community College. Why was she constantly reminded of the dark past that she tried so desperately to hide, lock away in the very depths of her mind? Would she ever truly forget what happened and forgive herself?

Without a word to Heather, Astrid left that morning. She did not hear Heather whisper her name in concern; Astrid was too preoccupied with the dark memories that had crept their way back into her mind. As Astrid walked toward her first class of the day, she heard her name called in greeting.

"Hey, Astrid!"

Startled, Astrid looked up. Not many other students knew her name yet, so she was surprised to hear someone greet her. Looking toward the direction where she had heard the voice, Astrid's eyes locked upon a familiar pair of green ones. _**Great…one of the few people on campus that I don't want to see right now. Hiccup.**_ Rather than answer, Astrid picked up her pace and hoped that Hiccup had chosen not to follow her. _**It's not that I don't want to see Hiccup,**_ she justified to herself. _**It's just that…**_ Somehow, she had come to associate Hiccup with her past which was illogical, she knew. He hadn't been there when the accident had happened; she hadn't even known him back then. Still, just the reemergence of her memories yesterday had created the connection between Astrid's past and Hiccup.

Luckily, Hiccup did not follow Astrid. At least, it didn't appear that he had when she'd chanced a brief glance over her shoulder. _**Thank the Gods. Hopefully, I don't see him again for a while…or ever. Berk University is not the largest campus out there, but it should be sufficient enough to prevent another encounter with Hiccup…right?**_

888

It wasn't. _**Does Hiccup have an extensive tracking system or is he just following me?**_ Astrid had begun to wonder as it seemed that Hiccup always turned up nearby, asking her if she was okay and begging her to tell him why she was avoiding him.

The cat-and-mouse game that they played was exhausting, but Astrid could keep at it. What other choice did she have, really? What could she tell Hiccup anyway? Yeah, you know, Hiccup. I'm really sorry that I've been avoiding you, but I've had some pretty bad flashbacks since our first encounter and now my mind links you with this horrible accident that I desperately want to forget. Could she sound any weirder?

Unfortunately, as Astrid was trying to think of a suitable reason to tell Hiccup as to why she was avoiding him, the cat-and-mouse game came to an end. Astrid had not been concentrating and she had backed herself into a dead-end of the campus. Hiccup had cornered her and there was no way that she could put off the inevitable conversation anymore.

Resigning herself to this undeniable fact, Astrid turned back to face Hiccup. He approached slowly as if encountering a frightened stray cat. "I'm sorry, Astrid," he whispered his apology. "I never wanted to corner you like this, but it seemed the only way that I'd get you to talk with me."

_**Damn right! Sure nailed that one!**_ Astrid thought to herself, but she still willed herself to keep silent; she didn't know how to answer the question that she knew Hiccup would ask.

"I can tell that you don't like being cornered any more than I like being the one to corner you, so if…if we go out into the open again, will you promise that you won't run? I just want to talk with you."

Astrid sighed. She didn't want to talk, but she didn't want to stay in this corner so she reluctantly agreed. As soon as they were both back out into the open, Hiccup asked her the question that she had been desperately trying to avoid answering.

"So…uh, what's going on, Astrid? I mean, I greeted you and you kinda…freaked out and started avoiding me. Did I do something wrong?"

_**No!**_ she wanted to answer_**. No, you did nothing wrong, Hiccup. It's not you. It's me. I'm a horrible person with a terrible past and you shouldn't get involved with me!**_ Of course, that was not the answer she gave Hiccup. Seriously, what could she tell him? She wanted to be his friend, but if he were to ever learn about her past, what she'd done, he would leave her behind and never glance back. Everyone else already had…even her own parents. Astrid was all alone, torn apart by one horrible event that seemed to reappear again and again as if stuck on replay within her mind.

"You did nothing wrong," Astrid whispered her reply finally.

"Then, why did you avoid me?" Hiccup asked, looking down.

Astrid could see the hurt reflected on Hiccup's face. She'd been the one to make him feel hurt…and she hated herself for it. Yet another person she'd hurt in her life. "I'm sorry," Astrid softly apologized. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you the true answer to that question." Her voice grew softer and softer with each word and Astrid was afraid that the flashbacks would unwillingly start again.

"Well, I guess you'll have to try me and then I'll tell you if I believe you or not," Hiccup answered with a laugh. Astrid guessed that he'd chosen a lighthearted tone to make the conversation feel less serious.

"It's…also a long story," Astrid continued, her voice still quiet, as her gaze shifted to the ground beneath her.

"I've got time," Hiccup gently coaxed.

With a sigh, Astrid began, "Fine. It happened back before I graduated high school. Three years ago now, when I was seventeen…in the winter of my junior year of high school…"

Before Astrid could continue with her story, she was interrupted. Another girl approached, greeting Hiccup with a shout and a wave. "Oh, Hiccup, there you are! I was just…"

She stopped as she caught sight of Astrid. As Astrid looked closer she recognized this girl. It wasn't hard, seeing as how she looked just like her twin brother. Rachelle Thorston, the twin sister of Timothy Thorston, Astrid's ex-boyfriend.

Hiccup looked between the two blonde girls and Astrid briefly wondered if he could sense the tension. Astrid understood Rachelle, though; Rachelle had every reason to hate her. Astrid knew that it was all her fault. If not for her, Rachelle's twin brother would still be alive today.

As if realizing that he hadn't yet introduced the two girls, Hiccup spoke up. "Ah…hey, Rachelle. This is Astrid. Astrid, I'd like you to meet Rachelle…my girlfriend."

* * *

**And you all thought Hiccup was just saying that he had a girlfriend, huh? So…there's a bit of a past between these two lovely blonde ladies. More to be revealed later! Next chapter starts the next story arc: "Holding Out For A Hero". It's gonna be good!**

**Thank you all for reading and supporting Roommates!**

**Posted: June 9, 2016**


	8. Holding Out For A Hero

**So, did everyone like the last chapter? That was really something, huh? Well, as promised, it's time to start a new arc (which means a new song!)! This arc will be super short. Maybe only this chapter or this chapter and the next one. **

**Review Replies:**

_**NeonArt1**_**: Because…I like cliffhangers? Haha. I know that Heather would be the more logical choice, but Astrid already hates her so much. She doesn't need another reason to make Astrid hate her.**

_**zzzeus11 (anonymous)**_**: I don't think anyone did! Haha. Yet, it was planned from the start.**

_**Guest (anonymous)**_**: Well, it's probably not a first, but…it's definitely a first for me. However, it's necessary for this story and will make sense as the story continues.**

_**Dirtkid123**_**: *in my best Quicksilver impression* You didn't see that coming? Haha. Anyway, yeah! Plot Twist!**

_**ShadowSpirt020**_**: Yeah, I thought so too. It's going to be interesting.**

_** 01**_**: Great questions! I can assure you that all is as it should be. Everything will work out, but, yeah, Rachelle—Ruffnut—will cause a bit of tension for a few chapters.**

_**Noctus Fury (anonymous)**_**: Why thank you! I think if I took a poll of who they expected to be Hiccup's girlfriend, very few people would've guessed correctly. I surprised many readers with that little plot twist. **

_**MugetsuPipefox**_**: Yeah, we'll roll with it for a bit. Haha. Yeah, that introduction was definitely super awkward. Where do we go from here? Let's find out!**

* * *

Chapter 8: Holding Out For A Hero

"Astrid, I'd like you to meet Rachelle…my girlfriend."

It had been almost a week since Astrid had unintentionally met Hiccup's girlfriend and Astrid still couldn't believe her luck…or lack thereof, as usually seemed to be the case. Out of all the girls in the world, why did Hiccup's girlfriend have to be the twin sister of Astrid's deceased ex-boyfriend? It wasn't that Astrid was disappointed about Hiccup having a girlfriend. After all, she'd only just met him. What really hurt was that his girlfriend was Rachelle.

A rift had formed between Astrid and Rachelle after that horrible night. Astrid was certain that Rachelle blamed her for the death of her twin brother. Prior to the accident, the girls had actually been friends. After the accident, though, Rachelle had distanced herself from Astrid and cast angry glares to her. Astrid did not blame Rachelle. In fact, Astrid could almost understand how the other girl felt. Rachelle and her brother had hated each other, but she guessed that even Rachelle had never actually meant it when she'd told her brother to "drop dead".

Astrid stared up at the dark ceiling and she could feel the tears prick at the corners of her eyes again. It just seemed like she always teared up at the remembrance of her past. Shifting to lay on her side, Astrid reached for her iPhone to check the time. When she pressed down on the home button, the screen lit up. 2:37AM. She had class early the next morning, but Astrid couldn't sleep. Even if she did sleep, she would be immersed in the nightmares again.

Before she placed her phone back down, Astrid took a look at her screen, at the desktop wallpaper that had not been changed since before the accident. She and Timothy were both on the screen. His hair was cut short and spiky. Astrid laughed slightly. She'd liked his short hair style, but Timothy had always preferred to grow his hair out long like his sister's. Astrid had not been a huge fan of that look. Anytime Timothy grew his hair out long, it always seemed to get greasy. _**I guess it doesn't matter anymore**_, Astrid told herself as she set her iPhone back down onto the nightstand.

It was another hour or so before Astrid finally fell asleep. Usually, her sleep was dreamless, aside from the stray nightmares of screeching tires, flashing lights, and deafening screams. Tonight, though, her thoughts manifested themselves into an elaborate dream.

888DREAM888DREAM888DREAM888

Everything was dark and silent. Suddenly, flames sprang from the darkness, surrounding her. The ground shook and Astrid felt herself stumble. A shadow cut through the flames and approached Astrid. It was a dragon, huge and unlike anything Astrid had ever imagined. The dragon was coming for her. She just knew it. The dragon wanted to eat her, leaving no remembrance of Astrid Hofferson.

The dragon approached but Astrid was rooted to the spot. Whether by fear or the overwhelming power of the dream, she could not run away as the dragon advanced. Before the dragon could eat her, though, there was a blast of purple flame that stopped the dragon's approach. The flames divided and Astrid looked up to see an extraordinary sight. Her rescuer was none-other-than Hiccup. He was dressed in some kind of old clothing that was probably worn by Vikings, but when Astrid glanced down at herself, she barely recognized her own clothing: a blue shirt, a red skirt covered with mini skulls, heavy metal shoulder plates, and thick boots. _**Why am I worrying about clothing when this massive dragon is about to eat up me…and Hiccup?**_

The blast from Hiccup's dragon had rocked the massive dragon only slightly and it didn't take long before it had recovered. Astrid, still rooted to the spot, could only watch as Hiccup's dragon continued to fire blast after blast to the much-larger dragon. As Astrid watched, she could almost see the gears turning in Hiccup's head, carefully calculating.

Somehow, after many wasted shots, Hiccup managed to outsmart the massive dragon and bring upon its fiery demise. Even from her distance, Astrid could feel heat radiating from the explosion. Shielding her eyes from the debris, flames, and smoke flying her way, Astrid did not see the flames overtake Hiccup and his dragon. When the smoke cleared, Astrid looked around, trying to find Hiccup. "Hiccup!" she called his name, hoping he would answer.

Astrid ran over to where the flames had just been and looked around, hoping to locate him somewhere and praying that he had not also perished in the fiery explosion. The flames cleared and Astrid could just barely make out a shadow, seated on the rocky ground. Running closer, she saw that it was Hiccup. He was clutching the bloody stump where his left leg had once been. "Hiccup! Are you okay?" A rather stupid question, really, but Astrid could not think of anything else to say.

"I will be," he answered, his voice way too calm and steady for someone who had just lost a leg. His gaze hardened then. "That's more than I can say for Timothy."

Astrid gaped at Hiccup's words. _**Did he just say..? How does he know about that?**_ "W-What?" she stuttered.

Hiccup scoffed then. "You heard me. I'm alive, but Timothy…you killed him, Astrid."

"I-I don't understand. How do you-?" Astrid cracked under Hiccup's hard gaze. "I didn't mean to…it was an accident!"

Immediately after Astrid yelled out the word "accident", she heard it. The familiar sounds. The honking horn and the screeching tires. _**No. Not again**_. From the smoke, she could see the glow of the oncoming car's headlights. On the ground lay a body and it wasn't Hiccup; he had disappeared. That could only mean one thing. _**Timothy…**_

As Astrid watched, the motionless body on the ground started to stir and then he rose to stand in front of her. Timothy was almost unrecognizable. He was bloodied and disfigured from the crash. Astrid had never seen him like this. She had been taken to the hospital and unconscious when the county coroner had arrived to pronounce her boyfriend dead at the scene.

"Astrid," Timothy stated simply. His voice was just as Astrid remembered but lacked emotion.

"T-Timothy."

Timothy looked down. "I would still be alive if you hadn't insisted on driving that night. I knew it wasn't safe, but I gave in…because you wanted."

"I didn't mean for it to happen!" Astrid cried. "I didn't mean for any of this to happen. Around her, she could hear the wailing of sirens, the shouts of the EMTs and first responders, and the drizzle of freezing rain. Everything was overwhelming and Astrid could feel herself breaking again. Slowly, she dropped to her knees, the freezing rain surrounding her and drenching her down to the bone. Her tears mixed with the freezing rain falling down her face and the sounds around her drowned out her pained screams.

888PRESENTDAY888PRESENTDAY888PRESENTDAY888

Astrid bolted upright in the darkness. As she slowly realized where she was, she found herself wishing again that she had not screamed out loud as she had in her dream. Her breathing slowed gradually and she checked the time again. 4:41 AM. The sun would rise within a couple hours and Astrid had class in about three hours. There would be no "going back to sleep". Even if she could, Astrid did not want to; she did not want to return to the dream.

Slowly, she rose from her bed and walked over to one of her bedroom windows. Outside, the sky was lightening as sunrise was approaching. Tears fell from Astrid's eyes again, rolling down her cheeks and dropping onto the stone windowsill. Sunrise was a time to reminisce on new beginnings, but Astrid just felt that she should not be allowed to enjoy the promise of a new day. Not after all that had happened. _**I'm broken, irreparable.**_ She thought about Hiccup and his girlfriend. _**I can't love again. I won't. I won't put myself through that again. I won't put someone else though it. Not for someone like me.**_ Then, she thought more about the idea of love, the very concept that is engrained deeply into the very soul of every living organism. Would that be the right choice? To close off her heart and never love again? _**It doesn't matter anyway**_, she finally decided,_** because it would take an extremely strong and caring person to accept my dark past, all the demons and baggage that go along with it…and there's no man out there who would ever want to deal with that.**_

* * *

**One chapter story arc! I knew it would be short because I didn't feel the need to use the whole song as basis for several chapters. Figured that a long chapter would be better than two short ones. **

**Next chapter will feature a time skip of about a couple weeks (story time, of course). It'll be another of those in-between-arcs chapters. I don't know if the next arc will also be one chapter or if it'll split into two. I'll know when I get there. Hope you're all enjoying the story so far!**

**Posted: September 5, 2016**


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